Skip to content

A NSW Government website

Welcome to the NSW Curriculum website

NSW Curriculum
NSW Education Standards Authority

11–12Mathematics Extension 1 11–12 Syllabus

Record of changes
Implementation from 2026
Expand for detailed implementation advice

Content

Year 12

Inverse trigonometric functions
Definitions of inverse trigonometric functions
  • Graph y=sinx, y=cosx and y=tanx, for -2πx2π using graphing applications and recognise that these three functions fail the horizontal line test
  • Examine possible domain restrictions of y=sinx, y=cosx and y=tanx to obtain the corresponding inverse functions using graphing applications
  • Define sin-1x or arcsinx to be the inverse function of y=sinx restricted to -π2xπ2, and determine the domain and range of y=sin-1x
  • Define cos-1x or arccosx to be the inverse function of y=cosx restricted to 0xπ, and determine the domain and range of y=cos-1x
  • Define tan-1x or arctanx to be the inverse function of y=tanx restricted to -π2<x<π2, and determine the domain and range of y=tan-1x
  • Evaluate and simply expressions, and prove results using the definitions of sin - 1 x , cos - 1 x and tan-1x
Graphs of inverse trigonometric functions
  • Graph y=sinx for -π2xπ2, then use a reflection in y=x to graph y=sin-1x with and without graphing applications
  • Graph y=cosx for 0xπ, then use a reflection in y=x to graph y=cos-1x with and without graphing applications
  • Graph y=tanx for -π2<x<π2, then use a reflection in y=x to graph y=tan-1x with and without graphing applications
  • Classify y = sin - 1 x , y = cos - 1 x and y=tan-1x as odd, even, or neither odd nor even
  • Examine the properties sin-1-x=-sin-1x,   cos-1-x=π-cos-1x, tan-1-x=-tan-1x and cos-1x+sin-1x=π2 using graphing applications and prove them algebraically
  • Use the properties sin-1-x=-sin-1x, cos-1-x=π-cos-1x, tan-1-x=-tan-1x and cos-1x+sin-1x=π2 to solve problems, simplify expressions and prove results
  • Graph the composite functions y=sin (sin-1x), y=cos (cos-1x) and y=tan (tan-1x) by considering their domains and ranges
  • Examine the graphs of the composite functions y=sin (sin-1x), y=cos (cos-1x) and y=tan (tan-1x), establish the values of x for which the formulas sin (sin-1x)=x, cos (cos-1x)=x and tan (tan-1x)=x are true, and apply the formulas to solve problems, simplify expressions and prove results
  • Graph the composite functions y=sin-1(sinx), y=cos-1(cosx) and y=tan-1(tanx) by considering their domains and ranges
  • Examine the graphs of the composite functions y=sin-1(sinx), y=cos-1(cosx) and y=tan-1(tanx), establish the values of x for which the formulas sin-1(sinx)=x, cos-1(cosx)=and tan-1(tanx)=x are true, and apply the formulas to solve problems, simplify expressions and prove results
  • Use graphing applications to explore reflections, translations and dilations of the functions fx=sin-1x, fx=cos-1x and f(x)=tan-1x, and confirm that the principles of transformations hold for the inverse trigonometric functions
  • Apply the principles of transformations to inverse trigonometric functions to determine the function rule and graph the function, finding the domain and range of the transformed graph and determining any intercepts and asymptotes where appropriate

Related files